NWA Title article

[necrosis215]

The new article is up on <a href='http://www.oldschool-wrestling.com' target='_blank'>www.oldschool-wrestling.com</a>
Please stop by, check it out and see what you think. Also, please look at the previous articles.

<a href='http://www.oldschool-wrestling.com/TR010503.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.oldschool-wrestling.com/TR010503.htm</a>

necrosis215

[Dan Poutsma]

Very nice article. However, just a couple of comments:

While it's been documented that Colon beat Flair to win the title, the NWA doesn't officially recognize him as a former champion. Since that is indeed the case, I don't think his name should be included. Just my opinion.

Also, just wanted to add that NWA TNA is not an official dues paying member of the National Wrestling Alliance. There's simply an agreement between the two parties where the Jarrett's are allowed to use the NWA name.

[necrosis215]

I didn't know that about TNA so, obviously I couldn't write it. Thanks for the correction, I'm always open to new information so please offer more, I won't be offended.

On the Flair/Colon thing, I believe he does have a legitimate claim to the title. Had he pushed for the recognition as champion, I believe he could possibly have been given recognition. No, I'm not very informed on the Colon incident so I can't offer a decent argument. Was the match fictitious? I have never heard that it was anything but legit and that Flair was cleanly pinned (although perhaps controversially). If that is the case, it sounds like any other title change. The only possible argument I could accept is that the NWA didn't sanction this as a title match.

necrosis215

[Dan Poutsma]

Originally posted by necrosis215
On the Flair/Colon thing, I believe he does have a legitimate claim to the title. Had he pushed for the recognition as champion, I believe he could possibly have been given recognition. No, I'm not very informed on the Colon incident so I can't offer a decent argument. Was the match fictitious? I have never heard that it was anything but legit and that Flair was cleanly pinned (although perhaps controversially). If that is the case, it sounds like any other title change. The only possible argument I could accept is that the NWA didn't sanction this as a title match.

necrosis215

The match did indeed happen. It was on January 6, 1983 in San Juan, PR and, according to Solie's Title Histories, was billed as a "unification" match for the NWA and WWC World titles. Flair lost the match and the title. It also says that some reports state that Ric regained the title a few days later in Florida.

From the sound of it, it just seems that the whole thing was simply a local affair that was only acknowledged in Puerto Rico. However, it definitely puts an interesting spin on things if Flair did in fact regain the title in Florida, since that was one of the major NWA territories. But then again, it was standard practice for a few of the territories NOT to acknowledge a particular wrestler as having won the world title. For example, JCP never mentioned the title victories by Baba, Dusty Rhodes, or Tommy Rich, and only referred to them as former champions when they came into the territory afterwards. Likewise, they didn't mention Flair's loss to Kerry when it first happend either. It wasn't until they were setting up a feud between he and Wahoo McDaniel later in 84. They showed footage of the rematch from Japan where Flair regained it (with Wahoo doing commentary), and he said he couldn't believe that "kid" got lucky, not even mentioning his name. And the Georgia promotion(s) completely ignored that there was even a switch altogether.

As for why the NWA as a whole didn't and still doesn't acknowlede Colon as a former champion, my guess is that they never officially approved him to win the title in the first place. But then again, the two switches done in New Zealand and Singapore between Race and Flair didn't have board approval at the time either, and they are now recognized. So given time, they might eventually change their minds. Until then, though, if it were up to me, I'd take his name off the list.

[Hijo de Carlos]

I might be wrong, but I'm sure I read somewhere that Flair was scheduled to beat Colon but they changed the finish themselves during the match because they sensed the crowd was going to riot if the hometown boy didn't win.....

[Dan Poutsma]

Originally posted by Hijo de Carlos
I might be wrong, but I'm sure I read somewhere that Flair was scheduled to beat Colon but they changed the finish themselves during the match because they sensed the crowd was going to riot if the hometown boy didn't win.....

It's possible. That's what happend in the match with Jack Veneno. Flair either saw a gun or heard a couple of shots ring out and immediately pulled him on top for the pin. Afterwards, though, Veneno gave the championship back, using the excuse that he didn't wanna travel the world and have to leave his fans in the Dominican.

From what I hear, Veneno is still promoting over there and occasionally shows the footage of his "victory" from time to time on his TV show.

[Hijo de Carlos]

That's evidently what I was thinking of - got my "contentious Flair title losses in the caribbean" mixed up

[necrosis215]

I've done it myself from time to time.

Thanks for the info Dan, I'll see if I can get his name edited out.

necrosis215

[necrosis215]

It's been edited out, thanks for the clarification and let's hope that Colon gets his [disputably] deserved place in the lineage history of the title some day.

necrosis215

[Americancyco]

Wasn't right after (or shortly after) this match that WWC started calling the title the Universal title?

[Dan Poutsma]

Originally posted by Americancyco
Wasn't right after (or shortly after) this match that WWC started calling the title the Universal title?

They started referring to it as the Universal title after WWC World champ Colon beat NWA World champ Flair in a cage match on December 18, 1983 in Bayamon, PR.